In a Facebook post, Christian
conservative Franklin Graham called on followers to “change the
channel” on the Hallmark Channel after it reversed course on a
lesbian ad.
On Sunday, Hallmark backtracked on
pulling an ad from online wedding registry Zola.com that showed a
lesbian couple getting married and later kissing after exchanging
vows.
Hallmark announced that it would pull
the ad after the Christian conservative group One Million Moms
criticized the network for the ad and for saying that it was “open”
to producing movies with same-sex couples.
“One Million Moms is asking Hallmark
to stay true to its family friendly roots that so many families have
grown to love, and to keep sex and sexual content – including the
promotion of homosexuality – out of its programming,” the group
wrote. “Please sign our petition asking Hallmark to do what is
right and reject airing movies and commercials with LGBT content!”
According to the Human Rights Campaign
(HRC), the nation's largest LGBT rights advocate, more than 70,000
people signed its petition calling on Hallmark to reinstate the ad.
“We can change the channel,” wrote
Graham, son of the late televangelist Billy Graham and a vocal
opponent of LGBT rights. “That’s what I’ll do if I’m watching
the Hallmark Channel and an ad with gay people kissing comes on. My
family has enjoyed this channel for years. We and millions of others
have appreciated their wholesome content that was unlike so much of
what is on television today.”
“But the LGBTQ agenda bullies
everybody – including the Hallmark Channel. The Hallmark Channel
aired an ad from a wedding planning company showing a lesbian couple
kissing, then they pulled it after their conservative base shared
concerns.”
“Now they’ve announced that they’re
reinstating the ad and will again be airing it and others like it.
That’s a shame. Let the Hallmark Channel USA know how you feel
about this type of content on their channel,” he said.